An explosion occurred yesterday around 2.00 pm inside a beer parlour at L and K road in Oworonsoki area of Lagos, subjecting 5 people to injury including a young girl. The victims have been rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The actual source of the explosion has not been officially confirmed as at the time of this report.It was however learnt that the explosion affected a building next to the beer parlour, but the building is said to pose no danger to the people. Officials of fire service and policemen were still trying to find out the cause of the explosion as the shop was locked at the time of the incident. But a crowd, which surged to the scene were said to be impeded the work of the service men and the police.
An official of the National Emergency management Agency had to appeal to the people to leave the area to allow his men to do their job. Those injured were residents of the building and a motorcyclist who was passing at the time of the incident.
Affected was a five-month old baby girl, her mother, Mrs Joy Angolo, their relation, Mr Monsuru Angolo, a motorcyclist Kamoru Bashir and one other resident, whose name could not be ascertained. As soon as the incident occurred, the area was thrown into confusion with the residents thinking the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram had struck and many of them reportedly took to their heels but the development was later confirmed to be that domestic explosion possibly from a refrigerator.
According to an eye witness, the incident occurred due to excessive heat build-up in the refrigerator ignited by fumes from petroleum products stored in the relaxation centre. The baby was said to be unconscious due to excessive bleeding while his mother and their relation sustained head injuries.
However, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said there was no explosion rather it was a gas cylinder that busted. He explained: “We should not create fear in the minds of people. It was a gas cylinder that busted resulting in a fire incident. The small fire did not even consume the whole house where it happened. The place is densely populated so, a huge crowd rushed out when they saw smoke from the fire. There is heavy presence of policemen there now and they are making frantic efforts to control the crowd.’’
One of the eyewitnesses, Mr. Akin Oluwafemi, a resident of the area narrated thus, “I was standing some few metres away from the point of the blast. I just came back from the church service when suddenly, I heard a loud noise, immediately, I knew it was a blast.
